Purpose

How to Send Money to Lebanon Securely

Information verified correct on December 10th, 2016

Find a simple, secure and cost-effective way to send an international money transfer to Lebanon.

According to the 2009 American Community Survey, there are 500,000 Americans who were born in Lebanon and up to three million US residents with Lebanese ancestry. That’s a pretty substantial number of people, so it’s perhaps no surprise that there are plenty of money transfer providers willing to help you send money to Lebanon. You just need to compare your options and find the company that offers a secure and affordable transfer method.

Banks versus money transfer services

Banks are notorious for slugging customers with hidden fees and this unfortunately applies to international money transfers. International wire transfer fees from banks commonly range from around $25 up to $70, while they also offer poor exchange rates compared to the mid-market rate.

That’s why you can save yourself a whole lot of money if you use a specialist money transfer company to handle your transaction. With much better exchange rates and noticeably lower fees, these companies can put more money in your beneficiary’s pocket and let you keep more money in yours. Compare the fees and exchange rates of a dedicated money transfer company with those offered by your bank – the results will surprise you.

Case Study: Mohammed Sends Money to Lebanon

Mohammed is spending three years studying abroad at UCLA, but he’s also holding down a part-time job to save some money for his family back home in Tripoli. With $1,000 saved up, Mohammed decides it’s time to send the funds to his parents to help them pay off their mortgage. But when his bank promises to whack him with a $50 transfer fee on top of its paltry exchange rates, he looks into the offerings from two money transfer companies to see f he can find a better deal.

Money transfer company 1

Money transfer company 2

Exchange rate

1 USD = 1,442 LBP

1 USD = 1,495

Transfer fee

$14

$18

Transfer method

Cash pickup

Cash pickup

Processing time

1 hour

10 minutes

Amount received (in LBP)

1,442,000 LBP

1,495,000 LBP

As you can see, Mohammed can send an extra 53,000 LBP by using the second money transfer company.

How to compare transfer companies when transferring money to Lebanon

Exchange rates. Compare exchange rates between providers to see how they all stack up, remembering that some companies with better exchange rates also have higher fees.

Fees. From a few dollars to $80 or even more, the transfer fee that applies to every transaction can have a huge impact on your hip pocket. Some companies will waive their transfer fees when you send a large amount.

Transfer methods. Can you only send transfers online or are other options available? These may include in-branch transfers, over-the-phone transfers and mobile app transfers.

Transfer options. Can you only place one-off spot orders or are there flexible options available such as limit orders and forward contracts?

Turnaround time. Some companies offer transfers within a few minutes; others will need several business days to get the funds into your recipient’s bank account.

Minimum limit. Is there a minimum amount you need to send every time you place a transfer?

Pickup methods. How can your recipient access the funds you send? Some companies offer bank transfers only while others also provide cash pickup locations.

Customer service. It’s important to know how and when customer support will be available if you ever have a question, problem or complaint.

Emergency cash transfers in Lebanon

You’ll need to pay extra if you want to send an immediate transfer to Lebanon. Higher fees and lower exchange rates often apply to ASAP transfers, so check all the details of a transaction before handing over your cash. Otherwise you could end up paying a lot more than you need to for your transfer, not to mention a lot more than you would like.

If you send money with Western Union or MoneyGram, your recipient can collect the cash you send from agent locations across Lebanon. Before going to pick up the funds they should make sure they have photo ID handy, and ringing to confirm an agent’s location is a good idea. They’ll also need a transaction ID number in order to access the cash. Some popular Lebanese cash pickup locations are listed below.

Western Union

Beirut

Osta Pro Trade

Al Zouhour Bldg Msaytbeh Street

Msaytbeh

Beirut, Beirut

+961-3-915028

Open 8am to 11:59pm seven days

New Line Electronic

Msaytbeh

Near Dinnawi Station

Msaytbeh, Beirut

+9611-9611391000

Tripoli

Ragina for Travel and Tourism

Tripoli Al Maarad Street

Arous Al Maarad Bldg Facing Ba

Tripoli, North

+9611-9611391000

Open 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday

Lou’ay Nafaa Est

Azmi St Tripoli

NorthTripoli

+961-1-391000

Open 7am to 9:30pm Monday and Tuesday, 8am to 8pm Wednesday to Saturday

Disclaimer - We endeavor to ensure that the information on this site is current and accurate but you should confirm any information with the product or service provider and read the information they can provide. If you are unsure you should get independent advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan.

finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, we may receive compensation from our partners for featured placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site.

Important Information

finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, we may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.